Strategic Grantmaking
Supporting Ocean Communities
Sea Forward's grantmaking includes place-based and field-building projects supporting local organizations, science, policy, and enabling conditions. Grants and investments are designed to be mutually reinforcing—helping prepare the ecosystem for future investment while also supporting communities to strengthen long-term impact.
Why Grantmaking Is Part of the Investment
Grants that help build the field
We invest in the people, open the pathways, and build the relationships the ocean economy needs to thrive.
Shared knowledge builds an ocean of opportunity that lasts. Every grant generates insights shared openly — because growing the field matters as much as growing the fund.
© Sally Bartel
How We Grant
We believe the best grantmaking is built on deep relationships, flexible funding, and genuine partnership with the communities closest to the ocean.
We do not accept unsolicited proposals at this time.
How It Works
Our grant process is designed for field-level impact
Each grant cycle, Sea Forward identifies a geographic or thematic focus — such as the Coral Triangle (2023–24) or Latin America (2025–26) — to concentrate resources where they can move in concert.
A committee of ocean science and education professionals evaluates proposals against measurable impact criteria. We favor well-defined, discrete projects with clear outcomes.
We actively seek opportunities to match grants from other funders, amplifying every dollar and convening diverse capital sources around the same high-impact projects.
Grant outcomes are shared openly with the broader ocean impact community. Every project generates insight that benefits the field — not just the recipient.
Partner With Us
Support the field-builders who make ocean impact possible
Every grant generates learning shared openly — because the field grows when everyone grows. Join us in building the conditions for a thriving ocean economy.
© Sally Bartel